Method for assembling base and main board assembly for hard drive disk

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a method for assembling a device including a base and a main board assembly in a hard disk drive including an actuator having a magnetic head; a base having a spindle motor mounted thereon, the spindle motor rotating at high speed a disk on which the magnetic head is suspended to conduct data writing and reading; and a main board assembly assembled to a lower surface of the base. The device comprises a guide section for establishing a vertical assembling position of the base and the main board assembly and for allowing the main board assembly to be capable of a sliding movement to a predetermined location on the base; a stopper section for stopping the sliding movement of the main board assembly on the base; and a locker for locking the main board assembly stopped by the stopper section to the base in a vertical direction.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, andclaims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an applicationentitled Device and Method for Assembling Base and Main Board Assemblyearlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the Sep. 19,1998, and there duly assigned Ser. No. 38883/1998, a copy of which isannexed hereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a hard disk drive, and moreparticularly to a device and a method for assembling a base and a mainboard assembly together.

2. Related Art

Generally, hard disk drives are mainly used as an auxiliary recordingdata storage unit. Such hard disk drives will be steadily used even inthe future by virtue of their useful functions. Current developments ofthe peripheral environment of computers result in intensive competitionfor technical developments of hard disk drives with a larger capacityand a higher processing speed.

A hard disk drive is a precise product composed of electronic units andmechanical units. In such a hard disk drive, electrical signalinformation is magnetized on a magnetic recording medium so thatcorresponding information is recorded on the magnetic recording medium.Magnetic signals recorded on the magnetic recording medium are read outin the form of electrical signal information.

Computer systems are information handling systems that are utilized bymany individuals and businesses today. A computer system can be definedas a microcomputer that includes a central processing unit (CPU), avolatile memory, a non-volatile memory such as read only memory (ROM), adisplay monitor, a keyboard, a mouse or other input device such as atrackball, a floppy diskette drive, a compact disc-read only memory(CD-ROM) drive, a modem, a hard disk storage device, and a printer. Acomputer system's main board, which is a printed circuit board known asa motherboard, is used to electrically connect these componentstogether. A computer system can be a desktop computer, a personalcomputer, a portable computer such as a notebook computer or palm-sizedcomputer, or other type of computer.

A hard disk storage device can also be referred to as a hard disk drivecontaining a hard disk, wherein the hard disk is the actual storagemedium. A platter is another term for a hard disk. The hard disk driveis an auxiliary memory unit of the computer system. The hard disk drivecontains components enabling data to be received from the associatedcomputer system and then written to the hard disk, and also enablingdata to be read from the hard disk and then transmitted to theassociated computer system. The hard disk drive includes a magneticread/write head which flies above the surface of the hard disk while thehard disk is rotating.

The hard disk has a plurality of concentric tracks for storing data.Each track has a plurality of sectors. Some hard disk drives containseveral hard disks, each hard disk being horizontally mounted on oneshared vertical spindle-axis, so that the hard disks form a stack ofhard disks. When a disk drive has a plurality of hard disks, with eachdisk having its own read/write head, every read/write head is aligned ona separate track of its associated hard disk. A head actuator locks allthe heads together so that all heads are at the same position from thecenter of the disk along a given radius. The vertical stack of tracksformed by such an arrangement is referred to as a cylinder. The numberof cylinders in a hard disk drive is the same as the number of tracks ona hard disk of that hard disk drive.

A primary function of the hard disk drive is to receive data from theassociated computer system, write the data onto the hard disk withoutloss of the data, and then read and transmit the data to the computersystem when necessary. Therefore, a manufacturer of the hard disk drivenot only makes an effort to maximize data recording capacity, but alsolooks for various means to prevent data loss when writing and readingthe data.

Hard disk drives typically include one or more magnetic disks defining amultiplicity of concentric data tracks. Each data track is divided intosectors with intersector gaps therebetween, and each sector issubdivided into a data sector and a servo sector. The data sectors areused for the storage of main data or user information. The servo sectorsare used for the storage of control data such as automatic gain control(AGC) data, track addresses, and tracking servo patterns for use inposition a head. Magnetic disk drives having high data density generallyrely upon servo control systems for moving a selected transducer (head)from a departure track to a destination track location when datainformation is written or read from the disk.

I have found that a coupling of a magnetic head of a hard disk drive toa main board via a base can be extremely inconvenient due to the typesof connectors and the number of connectors required. Efforts have beenmade to improve disk drives.

Exemplars of recent efforts in the art include U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,184for MODULAR DISK DRIVE ASSEMBLY OPERATIVELY MOUNTABLE IN INDUSTRYSTANDARD EXPANSION BAYS OF PERSONAL DESKTOP COMPUTERS issued toRabinovitz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,582 for MINIATURE HARD DISK DRIVE SYSTEMissued to White et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,496 for AIR-TIGHT CONNECTORASSEMBLY issued to Kilmer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,402 for HARD DISKDRIVE MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR A COMPUTER issued to Jeong; U.S. Pat. No.5,454,080 for REMOVABLE HARD DISK DRIVE SYSTEM WITH CIRCUIT FOR HOTINSERTION AND REMOVAL RESPONSIVE TO CONTACTS OF ZERO-INSERTION-FORCECONNECTOR ON THE LATERAL SIDE OF THE DRIVE issued to Fasig et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 5,442,513 for HARD DISK DRIVE AND CASING SLIDABLY RECEIVEDWITHIN FRAME HAVING DOUBLE-SWINGING DOOR AND LOCK issued to Lo; U.S.Pat. No. 5,311,455 for PORTABLE COMPUTER HAVING A HARD DISK DRIVEMOUNTED THEREIN issued to Ho; U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,129 for REMOVABLE ANDTRANSPORTABLE HARD DISK SUBSYSTEM issued to Blackborow et al.; and U.S.Pat. No. 4,669,053 for PORTABLE PERSONAL COMPUTER issued to Krenz.

While these recent efforts provide advantages, I note that they fail toadequately provide a conveniently and efficiently improved device andmethod for assembling a base of a hard disk drive with a main board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solvethe problems occurring in the related art, and a primary object of thepresent invention is to provide a device and a method for assembling abase and a main board assembly in a hard disk drive in which a magnetichead is electrically connected to the main board assembly without usinga 20 pin of the base and a 20 pin socket of the main board assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device and amethod for assembling a base and a main board assembly, which areadvantageous to miniaturization in the size of a hard disk drive.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device anda method for assembling a base and a main board assembly, which improveease of assembly when viewed from a point of a worker.

In order to achieve the above objects and others, according to oneaspect of the present invention, there is provided a device forassembling a base and a main board assembly in a hard disk driveincluding an actuator having a magnetic head; a base having a spindlemotor mounted thereon, the spindle motor rotating at high speed a diskon which the magnetic head is suspended to conduct data writing andreading; and a main board assembly assembled to a lower surface of thebase, the device comprising; a guide section for establishing a verticalassembling position of the base and the main board assembly and forallowing the main board assembly to be capable of a sliding movement toa predetermined location on the base; a stopper section for stopping thesliding movement of the main board assembly on the base; and a lockerfor locking the main board assembly stopped by the stopper section tothe base in a vertical direction.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method for assembling a base and a main board assembly in a hard diskdrive including an actuator having a magnetic head, the base having aspindle motor mounted thereon, the spindle motor rotating at high speeda disk on which the magnetic head is suspended to conduct data writingand reading, the base possessing at least one position determiningprojection and at least one stopper projection, and a main boardassembly assembled to a lower surface of the base and having aninserting hole which corresponds to the position determining projection,the method comprising the steps of: establishing a vertical assemblingposition of the base and the main board assembly by inserting theposition determining projection of the base into the inserting hole ofthe main board assembly; sliding the main board assembly on the base tobring one end of the main board assembly into contact with the stopperprojection of the base; and locking the main board assembly to the baseusing a plurality of screws.

To achieve these and other objects in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the presentinvention provides an apparatus, comprising: an assembly unit coupling aboard unit to a base of a hard disk drive, said base having a motormounted thereon to rotate a platter adjacent to a magnetic read/writehead of said hard disk drive, said assembly unit further comprising: aguide unit including a projection formed on a first surface of said baseto project away from said first surface, guiding said board unit towardsaid first surface, and guiding said board unit along said first surfaceup to a predetermined location on said first surface of said base; astopping unit preventing said board unit from moving beyond saidpredetermined location when said guide unit is guiding said board unitalong said first surface toward said predetermined location; and alocking unit securing said board unit to said base when said board unitis at said predetermined location on said first surface of said base.

To achieve these and other objects in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the presentinvention provides a method, comprising: coupling a board unit to a baseof a hard disk drive, said base having a motor mounted thereon to rotatea platter adjacent to a magnetic read/write head of said hard diskdrive, said base having at least one position determining projection andat least one stopper projection, said board unit forming at least oneorifice corresponding to said position determining projection, saidcoupling further comprising: inserting said at least one positiondetermining projection of said base into the at least one orifice ofsaid board unit; sliding said board unit along said base to bring saidboard unit into contact with said at least one stopper projection ofsaid base; and locking said board unit to said base.

To achieve these and other objects in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the presentinvention provides an assembly apparatus assembling a board unit to abase of a hard disk drive, said apparatus comprising: a hard disk drivehaving a base and further comprising: an actuator having a magnetichead, said magnetic head conducting data writing and reading operations;and a spindle motor mounted to said base of said hard disk drive, saidspindle motor rotating a platter beneath said magnetic head; a guideunit including a projection formed on a first surface of said base toproject away from said first surface, guiding said board unit towardsaid first surface in a first direction perpendicular to said firstsurface, and guiding said board unit along said first surface in asecond direction parallel to said first surface up to a predeterminedlocation on said first surface of said base; a stopping unit preventingsaid board unit from moving in said second direction beyond saidpredetermined location when said guide unit is guiding said board unitalong said first surface toward said predetermined location; and alocking unit securing said board unit to said base when said board unitis at said predetermined location on said first surface of said base.

The present invention is more specifically described in the followingparagraphs by reference to the drawings attached only by way of example.Other advantages and features will become apparent from the followingdescription and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, embodiments of the invention areillustrated, which, together with a general description of the inventiongiven above, and the detailed description given below, serve toexemplify the principles of this invention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a hard disk drive;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view representing an assemblingpattern between a base and a main board assembly;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the base and the main boardassembly of FIG. 2, which are assembled to each other;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view representing an assemblingpattern between a base and a main board assembly, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view depicting an independent appearance of aposition-determining projection formed on a lower surface of a base,according to the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 5B is a perspective view depicting an independent appearance of astopper projection formed on the lower surface of the base, according tothe principles of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the base and the main boardassembly of FIG. 4, which are assembled to each other, in accordancewith the principles of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

While the present invention will be described more fully hereinafterwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferredembodiment of the present invention is shown, it is to be understood atthe outset of the description which follows that persons of skill in theappropriate arts may modify the invention here described while stillachieving the favorable results of this invention. Accordingly, thedescription which follows is to be understood as being a broad, teachingdisclosure directed to persons of skill in the appropriate arts, and notas limiting upon the present invention.

A hard disk drive can be connected to a computer system via a main boardassembly unit. In other words, a base of a hard disk drive can first beconnected to a main board assembly unit, and then the main boardassembly unit can be connected to a main board of a computer system.Thus, the hard disk drive can be operationally connected to a centralprocessing unit of a computer system to thereby establish a path forcommunication between the hard disk drive and the central processingunit of the computer system.

Turn now to FIG. 1, which shows an exploded perspective view of a harddisk drive. As shown in FIG. 1, a hard disk drive includes a disk 15which is a recording data storage medium for recording and storing data,a spindle motor 10 for rotating the disk 15 at high speed, and amagnetic head 21 suspended from the disk 15 by an air bearing created bythe disk 15 rotating at high speed and adapted to conduct data writingand reading while moving in radial directions. A plurality of screws S1,S2, S3, and S4 (shown in FIG. 1) are used to secure the cover 200 to thebase 100.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, turn now to FIG. 2, which shows anexploded perspective view representing an assembling pattern between abase and a main board assembly. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the hard disk drivealso includes an actuator 12 adapted to move the magnetic head 21 to adesired position on the disk 15 while pivoting about a pivot shaft 160,a base 100 on which the above elements are mounted, a cover 200 coupledto the base 100 and adapted to protect the above elements whileproviding a seal for the hard disk drive, and a main board assembly 20assembled to a lower surface of the base 100 for controlling the aboveelements.

At this time, in order to electrically connect a signal of the magnetichead 21 secured to a free end of a suspension 22, to the main boardassembly 20, a wire extending from the magnetic head 21 is connected toa flexible printed circuit 162 which is in turn connected to a pinsocket 164. A first 20 pin socket 164 is connected to a 20 pin 170 shownin FIG. 2 which is in turn connected to a second 20 pin socket 180 ofthe main board assembly 20. Accordingly, the magnetic head 21 iselectrically connected to the main board assembly 20.

As a result, an electrical connection path between the magnetic head 21and the main board assembly 20 includes the magnetic head 21, theflexible printed circuit 162, the pin socket 164, the 20 pin 170, the 20pin socket 180, and the main board assembly 20.

Turn now to FIG. 3, which shows a perspective view illustrating the baseand the main board assembly of FIG. 2, which are assembled to eachother. In the hard disk drive, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the courseof assembling the main board assembly 20 to the base 100, when it isrequired to determine an assembling position where the main boardassembly 20 is assembled to the base 100, the 20 pin 170 mounted to thebase 100 is first inserted into the 20 pin socket 180 mounted to themain board assembly 20, and thereafter, the main board assembly 20 islocked to the base 100 using a plurality of screws S shown in FIGS. 2and 3.

At this time, for ensuring that the main board assembly 20 is preciselyarranged on the base 100, a plurality of reinforcing portions 107, eachof which may have a locking hole 107a, are formed in the base 100, and aplurality of grooves 207 which correspond to the plurality ofreinforcing portions 107, respectively, are defined in the main boardassembly 20. As described above, the reinforcing portions 107 and thegrooves 207 function to secure positioning of the main board assembly 20with the base 100.

However, the hard disk drive, constructed as mentioned above, suffersfrom defects in that the 20 pin 170 and two 20 pin sockets 164 and 180must be necessarily provided to precisely position the main boardassembly 20 on the base 100. In other words, the 20 pin 170 and the two20 pin sockets 164 and 180 not only serve as electrical connectors butalso function to determine the assembling position where the main boardassembly 20 is assembled to the base 100. Hence, in the hard disk driveof FIGS. 1 to 3, ease of assembly is decreased and size is enlarged.

Accordingly, in a hard disk drive in which a 20 pin and a 20 pin socketare not used to connect a magnetic head to a main board assembly, it isnecessary to determine an assembling position in a separate way.

Reference will now be made in greater detail to the preferredembodiments of the present invention. In the following description ofthe present invention, a detailed description of known functions andconfigurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make thesubject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

Generally, a hard disk drive includes a base, a cover locked to the baseand a gasket intervened between the base and the cover to perform asealing function. At this time, a spindle motor for rotating a disk athigh speed and an actuator having a magnetic head are mounted on thebase.

Turn now to FIG. 4, which shows an exploded perspective viewrepresenting an assembling pattern between a base and a main boardassembly, in accordance with the principles of the present invention. InFIG. 4, a lower surface 10 a of a base 10 is denoted in a perspectiveview. In a hard disk drive, a main board assembly 20 is generallysecured to the lower surface 10 a of the base 10.

In the hard disk drive according to the present invention shown in FIG.4, a magnetic head is electrically connected to the main board assembly20 by using a flexible printed circuit (not shown) instead of using the20 pin 170 and two 20 pin sockets 164 and 180 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, the base 10 of the present invention is formed atdesired points on its side walls with a plurality of mounting holes 101,respectively, at which it can be mounted to a body using a bracket. Acircular opening 102 through which a spindle motor passes for beingmounted to the base 10 is defined at a center portion of the base 10.Adjacent the circular opening 102, three threaded holes 103 at which thespindle motor is locked to the base 10 are formed in the base 10.

A plurality of locking bosses 106, in each of which a locking hole 106 ais defined, are projectedly formed on the lower surface 10 a of the base10. In other words, the plurality of locking bosses 106 are formed toproject from the lower surface 10 a of the base 10. A plurality ofscrews S are to be locked to the plurality of locking holes 106 a. Also,a plurality of reinforcing portions 107 each of which may have a lockinghole 107 a, are formed at the side walls of the base 10. A plurality ofgrooves 207 which correspond to some of the reinforcing portions 107,respectively, are defined in the main board assembly 20. See FIGS. 4 and6. This assists in determining an assembling position where the mainboard assembly 20 is assembled to the base 10.

In one process of assembling the hard disk drive, when the main boardassembly 20 is assembled to the base 10, a robot assembles the mainboard assembly 20 to the base 10 in a direction of A (for example avertical direction), then slides the main board assembly 20 on the base10 in a direction of B (for example a horizontal direction), andthereafter locks the base 10 and the main board assembly 20 togetherusing a plurality of screws S.

At this time, in order to precisely determine the assembling positionwhen the main board assembly 20 is assembled to the base 10 in thedirection of A, a position-determining projection 105 is formed toproject from a desired location on the lower surface 10 a of the base10, and an inserting hole 205 which corresponds to theposition-determining projection a selected location in the main boardassembly 20. It can be seen from FIG. 4 that the position-determiningprojection 105 projects upward and the inserting hole 205 has a shape ofa slot. By this construction, when the main board assembly 20 isassembled to the base 10, the position-determining projection 105 isinserted into the inserting hole 205.

After the main board assembly 20 is assembled to the base 10 in thedirection of A, the main 1s board assembly 20 can be slid on the base 10in the direction of B due to the fact that the inserting hole 205thereof has a shape of a slot. Thereafter, the sliding movement of themain board assembly 20 is stopped by two stopper projections 104 whichare formed at predetermined locations on the base 10. When one end ofthe main board assembly 20 is brought into contact with the stopperprojections 104, the main board assembly 20 is assembled to the base 10by vertically locking a plurality of screws S into the locking holes 106a, respectively.

As a result, in the device for assembling the main board assembly 20 andthe base 10, an entire assembling procedure for assembling the mainboard assembly 20 and the base 10 together includes a first process ofassembling the main board assembly 20 to the base 10 in the verticaldirection, a second process of sliding the main board assembly 20 on thebase 10 to bring one end of the main board assembly 20 into contact withthe stopper projections 104 formed on the base 10, and a third processof locking the main board assembly 20 to the base 10 using the pluralityof screws S.

The assembling position of the main board assembly 20 and the base 10 isdetermined by the insertion of the position-determining projection 105into the inserting hole 205. The main board assembly 20 can be slid onthe base 10 due to the shape of the inserting hole 205, to be broughtinto contact with the stopper projections 104. By locking the pluralityof screws S into the plurality of locking holes 106 a, respectively, theassembling operation of the main board assembly 20 to the base 10 iscompleted.

Turn now to FIG. 5A, which shows a perspective view depicting anindependent appearance of a position-determining projection formed on alower surface of a base, according to the principles of the presentinvention. Also turn now to FIG. 5B, which shows a perspective viewdepicting an independent appearance of a stopper projection formed onthe lower surface of the base, according to the principles of thepresent invention.

Means for precisely determining the assembling position when the mainboard assembly 20 is assembled to the base 10, will be described indetail with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B.

Referring to FIG. 5A, there is illustrated an independent appearance ofthe position-determining projection 105 for establishing the preciseassembling position when the main board assembly 20 is assembled to thebase 10. The position-determining projection 105 projects upward asdescribed above and has a circular cross-section. At this time, althoughit was explained that the position-determining projection 105 has acircular cross-section, it is to be readily understood that theposition-determining projection 105 can have another cross-section whichis not circular, such as an oval cross-section or a rectangularcross-section. In FIG. 5B, a Y axis represents a direction in which theinserting hole 205 extends, and a Z axis represents a direction in whichthe position-determining projection 105 extends.

Referring to FIG. 5B, there is illustrated an independent appearance ofthe stopper projection 104 for establishing locking positions in whichthe main board assembly 20 is locked to the base 10 by the plurality ofscrews S after the main board assembly 20 is precisely positioned on thebase 10 due to the fact that the position-determining projection 105 isinserted into the inserting hole 205.

The stopper projection 104 projects upward and extends along an X axis.Of course, it is to be readily understood that the stopper projection104 can have various cross-sections or shapes as long as it extends inthe direction of the X axis.

Turn now to FIG. 6, which shows a perspective view illustrating the baseand the main board assembly of FIG. 4, which are assembled to eachother, in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Ascan be seen from FIG. 6, the main board assembly 20 is assembled to thebase 10 at the desired location by the presence of theposition-determining projection 105 and is slid on the base 10 to bebrought into contact with the two stopper projections 104. Then, themain board assembly 20 is locked to the base 10 by the plurality ofscrews S to be securely mounted thereto at the precise predeterminedlocations.

As described above, according to the present invention, advantages areprovided in that in a hard disk drive in which a magnetic head iselectrically connected to a main board assembly by using a flexibleprinted circuit instead of using a 20 pin of a base and 20 pin socketsof the main board, the accurate position of the main board assembly canbe conveniently taken when the main board assembly 20 is assembled tothe base 20. Moreover, the present invention provides advantages in thatthe hard disk drive, especially, the main board assembly can beeffectively miniaturized in size.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description ofembodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described inconsiderable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant torestrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to suchdetail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broaderaspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatusand method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly,departures may be made from such details without departing from thespirit or scope of the applicant's general inventive concept.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: coupling a board unit to abase of a hard disk drive, said base having a motor mounted thereon torotate a platter adjacent to a magnetic read/write head of said harddisk drive, said base having at least one position determiningprojection and at least one stopper projection, said board unit formingat least one orifice, said coupling further comprising: inserting saidat least one position determining projection of said base into the atleast one orifice of said board unit; sliding said board unit along saidbase to bring said board unit into contact with said at least onestopper projection of said base; and locking said board unit to saidbase.
 2. The method of claim 1 the at least one orifice having a shapeof a slot.
 3. The method of claim 2, said locking securely mounting saidboard unit to a first surface of said base.
 4. The method of claim 3,said inserting being performed in a first direction perpendicular tosaid first surface of said base, said sliding being performed in asecond direction parallel to said first surface of said base.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, said locking being performed by a plurality ofscrews.
 6. A method, comprising: coupling a board unit to a base of ahard disk drive, said base having at least one positioning unit and atleast one stopping unit, said board unit having at least one guidingunit, said coupling further comprising: engaging said at least onepositioning unit of said base with said at least one guiding unit ofsaid board unit; and sliding said board unit along said base to bringsaid board unit into contact with said at least one stopping unit ofsaid base.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: locking saidboard unit to said base.
 8. The method of claim 6, said at least onestopping unit corresponding to a projection.
 9. The method of claim 8,said projection being fixedly attached to said base.
 10. The method ofclaim 6, said base having a motor mounted thereon to rotate a platteradjacent to a magnetic read-write head of said hard disk drive.
 11. Themethod of claim 6, said at least one positioning unit corresponding to aprojection on said base, said at least one guiding unit corresponding toan orifice formed by said board.
 12. The method of claim 11, saidengaging corresponding to inserting said at least one positioning unitof said base into said at least one guiding unit of said board unit. 13.The method of claim 6, said at least one stopping unit corresponding toa projection on said base.
 14. The method of claim 6, said sliding beingperformed while said at least one positioning unit engages said at leastone guiding unit.
 15. A method, comprising: coupling a first unit to asecond unit, said second unit having at least one positioning unit andat least one stopping unit, said first unit having at least one guidingunit, said coupling further comprising: engaging said at least onepositioning unit of said second unit with said at least one guiding unitof said first unit; and sliding said first unit along said second unitto bring said first unit into contact with said at least one stoppingunit of said second unit.
 16. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising: locking said first unit to said second unit.
 17. The methodof claim 15, said at least one stopping unit corresponding to aprojection.
 18. The method of claim 17, said projection being fixedlyattached to said, second unit.
 19. The method of claim 15, first unitcorresponding to a board of a computer system.
 20. The method of claim15, said first unit corresponding to a board, said second unitcorresponding to a base of a hard disk drive.
 21. The method of claim20, said second unit having a motor mounted thereon to rotate a platteradjacent to a magnetic read-write head of said hard disk drive.
 22. Themethod of claim 15, said at least one positioning unit corresponding toa projection on said second unit, said at least one guiding unitcorresponding to an orifice formed by said first unit.
 23. The method ofclaim 22, said engaging corresponding to inserting said at least onepositioning unit of said second unit into said at least one guiding unitof said first unit.
 24. The method of claim 15, said at least oneguiding unit corresponding to a projection on said first unit, said atleast one positioning unit corresponding to an orifice formed by saidsecond unit.
 25. The method of claim 15, said at least one stopping unitcorresponding to a projection on said second unit.
 26. The method ofclaim 15, said sliding being performed while said at least onepositioning unit engages said at least one guiding unit.
 27. A method,comprising: coupling a first unit to a second unit, said second unithaving at least one positioning unit and at least one stopping unit,said first unit having at least one guiding unit, said coupling furthercomprising: moving said first unit in a first direction to engage saidat least one positioning unit of said second unit with said at least oneguiding unit of said first unit; and when said at least one positioningunit engages with said at least one guiding unit, sliding said firstunit in a second direction to bring said first unit into contact withsaid at least one stopping unit of said second unit, said seconddirection being not parallel to said first direction.
 28. The method ofclaim 27, said second direction being substantially perpendicular tosaid first direction.
 29. The method of claim 27, said sliding of saidfirst unit corresponding to sliding said first unit along a surface ofsaid second unit, said first direction being substantially perpendicularto said surface of said second unit, said second direction beingsubstantially parallel to said surface of said second unit.